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Thursday, December 31, 2009

On Ground Updates: Afghanistan/PakistanSeven CIA Officers lost their lives Wednesday during a Suicide Bomb Attack on Forward Operating Base Chapman, AfghanistanPost Date: Thursday, December 31, 2009.From The White HouseOffice of the Press SecretaryThursday, December 31, 2009.Official White House file photo by Pete Souza.Message from the President to the CIA Workforce.

Earlier this morning, the President sent this message to the CIA workforce in relation to yesterday’s attack in Khost Province, Afghanistan:.To the men and women of the CIA:.I write to mark a sad occasion in the history of the CIA and our country. Yesterday, seven Americans in Afghanistan gave their lives in service to their country. Michelle and I have their families, friends and colleagues in our thoughts and prayers..These brave Americans were part of a long line of patriots who have made great sacrifices for their fellow citizens, and for our way of life. The United States would not be able to maintain the freedom and security that we cherish without decades of service from the dedicated men and women of the CIA. You have helped us understand the world as it is, and taken great risks to protect our country. You have served in the shadows, and your sacrifices have sometimes been unknown to your fellow citizens, your friends, and even your families..In recent years, the CIA has been tested as never before. Since our country was attacked on September 11, 2001, you have served on the frontlines in directly confronting the dangers of the 21st century. Because of your service, plots have been disrupted, American lives have been saved, and our Allies and partners have been more secure. Your triumphs and even your names may be unknown to your fellow Americans, but your service is deeply appreciated. Indeed, I know firsthand the excellent quality of your work because I rely on it every day..The men and women who gave their lives in Afghanistan did their duty with courage, honor and excellence, and we must draw strength from the example of their sacrifice. They will take their place on the Memorial Wall at Langley alongside so many other heroes who gave their lives on behalf of their country. And they will live on in the hearts of those who loved them, and in the freedom that they gave their lives to defend..May God bless the memory of those we lost, and may God bless the United States of America..President Barack Obama

.Taken from a White House Press Release - Office of the Press Secretary...................................................

* The Wall Street Journal has this terrible report out of Afghanistan today and it starts off like this...Seven Central Intelligence Agency officers were killed and six more wounded in a suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan, the CIA Director Leon Panetta said Thursday, the largest single-day loss for the spy agency since the Beirut embassy bombing in 1983... The attack Wednesday killed at least eight American civilians at Forward Operating Base Chapman, a U.S. compound in the Afghan province of Khost near the Pakistani border that has been a base of operations for the CIA... "Those who fell yesterday were far from home and close to the enemy, doing the hard work that must be done to protect our country from terrorism," Mr. Panetta said in a message to agency employees. "We owe them our deepest gratitude, and we pledge to them and their families that we will never cease fighting for the cause to which they dedicated their lives -- a safer America."...Read the full report at link below...CIA Officers Are Killed in Afghan Attack.* Guardian.co.uk reports it this way...The Taliban claimed responsibility for an attack on a US military outpost that killed seven CIA operatives and wounded six others on Wednesday, in a strike that illustrates the insurgents' growing reach and military capability... Former CIA officers said the dead agents were part of a paramilitary unit, likely involved in recruiting and training local Afghans in security roles and carrying out military operations against Taliban and al-Qaida militants along the Pakistan border... The attack took place at a military outpost about a dozen miles from the federally administered tribal areas of Pakistan, a Taliban stronghold...Read the rest at link below...Taliban suicide attack kills CIA agents at US outpost in Afghanistan

.* Telegraph.co.uk has this report late this Thursday afternoon...The suicide bomber who killed seven CIA employees at a remote base in south-eastern Afghanistan was being courted as an informant and had been invited onto the base, according to a report... The bombing, which came as President Barack Obama's surge is gathering pace, represented the biggest loss of life suffered by the US intelligence agency since an attack in Beirut in 1983. The CIA said on Thursday a further six agents had been injured in the attack... On Thursday night it was reported that the bomber had been invited onto the base and had not been searched... A former senior intelligence official told the Associated Press that the man was being courted as an informant and that it was the first time he had been brought inside the camp... The official said a senior and experienced CIA debriefer came from Kabul for the meeting, suggesting that the purpose of the session was to gain intelligence...Read the full report at link below...CIA suicide bomber was invited on base, report claims

About This News Video: A suicide bombing reportedly killed eight Americans on a CIA base in Afghanistan, making it the worst single loss of life for the CIA since 1983.. As David Martin reports, the Taliban is claiming responsibility.This Video posted on YouTube by CBS.......................................................

.Our thoughts and prayers go out to all our fallen Heroes, their family, friends and other loved ones...AubreyJ.........

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.Staff Sgt. Ronald J. Spino, 45, of Waterbury, Conn., died December 29th in Bala Morghab, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when he was shot while unloading supplies. He was assigned to the 274th Forward Surgical Team, 44th Medical Command, Fort Bragg, N.C. The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.For more information the media may contact the XVIII Airborne Corps public affairs office at 910-396-5600 or 910-396-5620.

.U.S. Department of DefenseOffice of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs}

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Yemen: On Ground UpdatesDozens of al Qaeda Members in Yemen have been killed by the country's Armed Forces in the last two attacks this monthWednesday, December 30, 2009.Hello everyone...This is the first report, of many more to come, of current events coming out of Yemen. This is a LONG WAR we find ourselves in today... with many battlefields. Yemen is just a small piece of a larger... of the WAR on TERROR.Let’s get started off with the following News Article from CENTCOM...HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!................Pentagon Praises Yemen for Stand Against al-QaidaOriginally posted on December 28thMap courtesy of CENTCOM.

The Yemeni government deserves praise for taking on the al-Qaida threat in that country, a Defense Department official said Monday..The Yemeni government took full credit for strikes against al-Qaida hide-outs and training sites Dec. 19. U.S. officials have been concerned that al-Qaida has been increasing in Yemen..“The fact of the matter is that Yemeni officials and government ought to be commended for taking on the al-Qaida threat that exists in their country,” Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said today. “Yemen has a growing al-Qaida threat and the government has taken the important steps to address it.”.The Yemeni government said the strikes were a success, but there has not been an accounting of casualties in the strikes..The Defense Department has worked with Yemen to train their forces. The United States spent roughly $67 million to train Yemeni troops in counterterrorism operations, Defense Department officials said..Meanwhile, there haven’t been “any substantial increases in our training with Yemen over the past few months,” Whitman said..U.S. training with Yemen runs throughout the year and includes land, air and maritime scenarios. These exercises generally are small-scale events that last a couple of weeks at a time. The number of trainers involved fluctuates depending on the training, Whitman said, noting the exercises do not run back to back..Defense relations between Yemen and the United States are good. Yemeni servicemembers participate in the International Military Education and Training program and the United States has transferred military equipment and spare parts to the country..In fiscal 2006, U.S. Foreign Military Financing for Yemen was $8.42 million, International Military Education and Training was $924,000, and Non-Proliferation, Anti-Terrorism, Demining and Related Programs was about $1.4 million.

.Taken for a DoD, American Forces Press Service news article - Written by Jim Garamone.....................................................

* Reuters.com had this informative report posted up on their website early this Wednesday afternoon and it starts off like this...The United States is looking at ways to expand military and intelligence cooperation with the government of Yemen to step up a crackdown on al Qaeda militants believed to be behind a failed plot to blow up a U.S. passenger jet, American officials said on Wednesday... President Barack Obama has vowed to bring "every element" of U.S. power against those who threaten Americans' safety, but offered no specifics... Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman declined to comment on any "military planning," but called a television report that the United States was preparing for possible retaliatory strikes "grossly exaggerated."...Read their report in full at link below...U.S. seeks to boost Yemen for expanded al Qaeda fight.* CNN.com had the following report posted up on their website late this Wednesday morning and it starts off like this...Airstrikes against al Qaeda targets in Yemen will be carried out only by the country's armed forces, the Yemeni foreign minister said Wednesday... Asked whether the country would need support from U.S. airstrikes, Abu Bakr al-Qirbi told CNN, "No, we don't need that." However, he acknowledged that Yemen will "need the technical and the intelligence information to undertake these attacks," he said... After Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab's alleged attempt to blow up a Northwest Airlines flight December 25 -- an action that al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula claims it organized -- the United States and Yemen are now looking at fresh targets in Yemen for a potential retaliation strike, two senior U.S. officials told CNN on Tuesday...Read the full report at link below...Yemeni diplomat: Yemen can carry out airstrikes against al Qaeda.* Reuters has the following short report posted up on their website early this afternoon. It starts off like this...Yemeni security forces clashed with al Qaeda fighters in western Hudaydah province on Wednesday, wounding several, a Yemeni official said...Read the full report at link below...Yemen says forces clash with Qaeda, seize militant.* 89.3 KPCC/Southern California Public Radio had this report, with Audio, posted up on their website on the 29th... The attempted bombing of a Northwest Airlines flight on Christmas Day has thrown a spotlight on the nation of Yemen, after an al-Qaida group that's based there claimed responsibility for the foiled attack. But the United States had already been ramping up its operations in Yemen to counter the al-Qaida threat there...Read the rest at link below...U.S. Has Long Kept Watchful Eye On YemenAbove link has Audio report...

.***************************************.Terrorist Hot Spots.

About this News Video: As President Obama demands answers on what allowed suspect terrorist Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab to board flight 253, he is also looking into Yemen. Elizabeth Palmer reports on other terrorist hotspots.This video posted on YouTube by CBS..............................AubreyJ.........

Iran: On Ground UpdatesA government that can only stay in power by shooting its own people in the streets and blocking their communication with the outside world is in serious trouble...Tuesday, December 29, 2009.Iran Map by DoD-CENTCOM.* The bloody events of recent days in Iran have demonstrated the repressive nature of the regimeand the deep discontent surfacing in a country denied democratic freedoms. A government that can only stay in power by shooting its own people in the streets and blocking their communication with the outside world is in serious trouble...Read William Hague’s full article at the Telegraph.co.uk website at link below...There is still time to foil Iran's bomb plot.*Our friends at the Debka.com website had the following good read posted up on their website on the 28th...Iranian sources reveal that Mir Hossein Mousavi's nephew, Ali Habib, was not shot dead during a Tehran demonstration Sunday, Dec. 27, as reported, but waylaid and gunned down as he left his home. Fresh riots followed the disappearance of the body from the hospital Monday. The episode became even more ominous when Iran's security services Chief Gen. Radan accused Mousavi of the murder to incite further violence. The opposition fears that the murder of Mousavi's nephew augurs physical liquidations of its leaders... The current upsurge of violence across Iran is the most dangerous yet because for the first time demonstrators are turning round to attack security forces, the Revolutionary Guardsmen and Basijj paramilitaries...Read the full report at link below...Iran reels toward popular counter-revolution.........................................................Well... The above point a view by William Hague at the Telegraph.co.uk website pretty much sums the events up over the last so many days in Iran! Sadly... sanctions are a year or two too late and I believe only military action by Israel will bring this mess to a halt... and for at least 3 to 5 years..Only then will we AGAIN... have the breathing room to give the Iranian people a chance to make a Regime Change within their government... One that the west and the rest of the world can live with..Bottom line is there is a time when blood must be shed... Look at what is going on in the streets of Iran over the last so many days... The people of Iran have made their minds up and the time for CHANGE is NOW!.Light ‘em up, Israel!!!History’s calling...AubreyJ.........

Monday, December 28, 2009

Iran: On Ground UpdatesJust One Day After Deadly Anti-Government Protests, Iranian Security Forces Arrest Scores Of Opposition FiguresMonday, December 28, 2009.* IslamOnline.netbrings us the following report this early Monday afternoon and it starts off like this...A day after deadly anti-government protests, Iranian security forces arrested scores of opposition figures, Monday, December 28, sparking international outcry... “(Ebrahim Yazdi) was arrested at home and taken to an unknown place early Monday morning by security agents," opposition Rahesabz website said, referring to an opposition politician... Several aides to former president Mohamed Khatami and opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi were also reportedly arrested... "Mousavi advisors Alireza Beheshti, (Ghorban) Behzadian-Nejad and (Mohammad) Bagherian were also arrested in the morning," Parlemannews website said... Security agents also raided the office of a women's magazine, Irandokht, run by opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi's wife, and confiscated computers, according to Advarnews website... Award-winning rights campaigner and journalist Emadeddin Baghi was also arrested... "Security agents treated Baghi's family and daughters very offensively as they arrested him."... The crackdown came a day after deadly clashes between opposition supporters and security forces left eight people dead... More than 60 people had also been injured in Tehran...Read the full report at link below...Iran Cracks Down On Opposition, West Critical ***************************.Protesters killed in Iran clashes - 28 Dec 09- This video removed by me in respect of Google
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About this news video: Iranian officials say five people have died in violence between opposition protesters and security forces in Tehran. The protests coincided with Ashoua, one of Shia Islam's most important holidays. Among the dead is the 35-year-old nephew of Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Moussavi... Al Jazeera's Rosiland Jordan reports.This video posted on YouTube by AlJazeeraEnglish.

- These Videos and Photo links removed by me in respect of Google
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The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.Spc. Jason M. Johnston, 24, of Albion, N.Y., died December 26th in Arghandab, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.For more information the media may contact the 82nd Airborne Division public affairs office at 910-432-0661.

.U.S. Department of DefenseOffice of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.Staff Sgt. David H. Gutierrez, 35, of San Fransico, Ca., died December 25th at Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his dismounted patrol with an improvised explosive device in Howz-e Madad. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, 5th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Wash.For more information the media may contact the Fort Lewis public affairs office at 253-967-0152, 253-967-0147 or after hours at 253- 967-0015 (ask for the Public Affairs Officer on call).

.U.S. Department of DefenseOffice of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Update Report #One:Failed Christmas Day Airline Terrorist Attack"We believe this was an attempted act of terrorism," said one White House official...This was NOT an Attempted Terrorist Attack, people!This WAS a Terrorist Attack... That FAILED!!!Saturday, December 26, 2009

* Telegraph.co.uk brings us the following report this Saturday afternoon that starts off like this...A Nigerian man who studied at a British university - Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab - has been named as the man suspected of attempting to blow up Northwest Airlines Flight 253 bound for Detroit in an al-Qaeda-inspired Christmas Day terror attack...Read the full report at link below...Detroit terror attack: police search London home of Nigerian suspect.*Reuters.com has the following report...Authorities in Britain, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands either increased passenger checks or reinforced security measures already stepped up ahead of the busy Christmas and New Year travel period, officials said... The measures follow a formal request from the U.S. Department of Transportation to airports worldwide to ratchet up security following the failed Christmas Day attack on a Delta Air Lines flight by a Nigerian suspect, officials said...Read the full report at link below...Europe tightens security after foiled U.S. attack.*The New York Times has the following report posted up on their website earlier this Saturday afternoon and it starts off like this...Despite extensive spending since 2001 on intelligence and counterterrorism programs, sophisticated airport scanners and elaborate watch lists, it was something simpler that averted disaster on a Christmas Day flight to Detroit: alert and courageous passengers and crew members...Read the rest at link below...Passengers Took Plane’s Survival Into Own HandsAbove link has short News video................................................Statement by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet NapolitanoRelease Date: December 26, 2009For Immediate ReleaseOffice of the Press SecretaryContact: 202-282-8010

"I am grateful to the passengers and crew aboard Northwest Flight 253 who reacted quickly and heroically to an incident that could have had tragic results. The Department of Homeland Security immediately put additional screening measures into place – for all domestic and international flights—to ensure the continued safety of the traveling public. We are also working closely with federal, state and local law enforcement on additional security measures, as well as our international partners on enhanced security at airports and on flights..The American people should continue their planned holiday travel and, as always, be observant and aware of their surroundings and report any suspicious behavior or activity to law enforcement officials..Passengers flying from international locations to U.S. destinations may notice additional security measures in place. These measures are designed to be unpredictable, so passengers should not expect to see the same thing everywhere. Due to the busy holiday travel season, both domestic and international travelers should allot extra time for check-in.”

Taken from a DHS press release..............................................................* AP brings us the following report on YahooNews and it starts out like this...A 23-year-old Nigerian man who claimed ties to al-Qaida was charged Saturday with trying to destroy a Detroit-bound airliner, just a month after his father warned U.S. officials of concerns about his son's religious beliefs.Read this report in full at link below...Nigerian man charged in Christmas airliner attack.* POLITICO.com has the followingreport that goes in part like this...The criminal complaint saidthe device contained a "high-explosive" chemical, PETN, which has been used in several past terror plots. It’s what so-called “shoe-bomber” Richard Reid used in his December 2001 bid to blow up a Paris-to-Miami flight... “FBI agents recovered what appear to be the remnants of the syringe from the vicinity of Abdulmutallab’s seat, believed to have been part of the device,” the release added... The government said: “Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 23, a Nigerian national, boarded Northwest Flight 253 in Amsterdam, Netherlands... and had a device attached to his body. As the flight was approaching Detroit Metropolitan Airport, Abdulmutallab set off the device, which resulted in a fire and what appears to have been an explosion. Abdulmutallab was then subdued and restrained by the passengers and flight crew. The airplane landed shortly thereafter, and he was taken into custody by Customs and Border Patrol officers.”... Because Abdulmutallab is being detained and treated for his burns at the hospital at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, his preliminary hearing Saturday afternoon was held in a small conference room there instead of at the federal courthouse...Read the full report at link below...'High explosive' - U.S. charges Abdulmutallab............................

*Photo for the Day*Jasper Schuringa is our main Hero yesterday who subdued alleged terrorist Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab during the Christmas Day failed Terrorist Attack on Flight 253. You are a true example of what a Hero is all about, Jasper!More on this story, with videos at link below...Jasper Schuringa ID'd as Flight 253 HeroAbove image taken from Jasper’s Facebook profile........................AubreyJ.........

Friday, December 25, 2009

*DELTA Flight 253:Passengers and Crew Got Lucky Today on this one*Failed Christmas Day Detroit Airline AttackWas an Attempted Act of TerrorismFriday, December 25, 2009.* The Washington Post brings us the following troubling news this Christmas evening and their report starts off like this...A Nigerian national, claiming to be acting on behalf of al-Qaeda, is in custody in Detroit after allegedly attempting to light an incendiary device aboard a Northwest Airlines flight after it landed Friday, federal officials said... A White House official said the incident was an attempted act of terrorism. The FBI is investigating and President Obama, celebrating Christmas in Hawaii, was told of the incident about three hours after the plane landed, officials said...Read the rest at link below...White House: Failed plane attack an attempted act of terrorism.* Haaretz.com reports today’s failed attack this way... U.S. authorities believe an incident involving a small explosion aboard a Delta-Northwest Airlines flight to Detroit on Friday was an attempted act of terrorism, a White House official said... The Transportation Security Administration said the person responsible for the incident was taken into custody and the plane, which departed from Amsterdam, had landed safely in Detroit... "We believe this was an attempted act of terrorism," a White House official told Reuters on condition of anonymity because the investigation was continuing... Officials said the Northwest Airlines passenger from Nigeria said he was acting on behalf of al-Qaida when he tried to blow up the flight as it landed in Detroit...Read the full report at link below...Report: Failed terror attack on U.S. Delta airplane.* FOX NEWS is on top of things and their following report goes in part like this... The suspect, who ABC reported suffered second-degree burns, told federal investigators he was connected to Al Qaeda, though authorities are questioning the veracity of that statement, Fox News confirmed. A federal situational awareness bulletin noted that the explosive was acquired in Yemen with instructions as to when it should be used, ABC said... Rep. Peter King (R-NY) identified the suspect as 23-year-old Abdul Mudallah of Nigeria, and King said Mudallah "definitely has connections" to Al Qaeda... King said Mudallah was not on any terrorism watchlist... "This could have been catastrophic," said King, speaking to "FOX Report" Friday night. "We were lucky on this one."...Read the full report at link below...White House: Failed Airline Bombing Was Attempted Act of Terrorism.* CNN has this report...Explosive device set off aboard airlinerThe above link also has several informative News Video reports about today’s failed terrorist attack aboard Delta Flight 253....******************************.AP Sources: Al-Qaida Link in Failed Plane Attack

About this News Video: A Northwest Airlines passenger from Nigeria, who said he was acting on al-Qaida's instructions, set off an explosive device Friday in a failed terrorist attack on the plane as it was landing in Detroit, federal officials said.(Originally posted on December 25th)This Video posted on YouTube by AssociatedPress....................................Last thought on all of this... I think it is now safe to say that this was not an attempted terrorist attack but rather a terrorist attack... that failed!More on this developing story Saturday...AubreyJ.........

About Video: Bird for Christmas Dinner, from the email forwarded all over the Internet.This video posted on YouTube by comedyrobotA big thanks and a MERRY CHRISTMAS goes out to my good friend DavidM for sharing this email with us.

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Well it's that time of the year once more and again I post some of my family Christmas stories I have written over the years for all to enjoy.

I truly do wish

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS

to all of you and yours...

here at home and overseas.

.............

Sis and I one Christmas Eve Night

by AubreyJ.........

Aubrey J. FawcettDecember, 2002.There was a cold wintery breeze blowing that Christmas Eve NightOutside it was snowing but coming down lightMy sis and I were excited as our bedtime grew nearBecause it wouldn't be to long till Santa got here.Now big brother and sister rushed us to our bedsWith good night kisses on each of our foreheadsTo our separate rooms our parents came to sayGo to sleep tonight fast… Santa is surely on the way.Now sis and I had this night all planned outFor Santa we would see and that there was no doubtWe had just come from Mamaw's earlier in the nightWith two Walkie-Talkies and a plan that was just right.Our plan went like this and awake we must stayIf Santa was to be seen and all those toys in his sleighNow if I should hear something outside in the nightOr if sis should hear something in the living room to her rightOn our Walkie-Talkie we would let the other knowThat Santa had come… Slip out of your room slow.Was Santa that JollyWas Rudolf's nose red and brightWell one thing was certainWe should know it this night.As the night passed on by and everyone was in bedSis and I waited for that little man in redSis talked to me quietly and I did the sameWhat was Santa Claus bringing us... A doll, a train.Then all of a sudden a noise we could hearCould it be Santa and all his reindeerOn our Walkie-Talkies the warning went outI heard it on the roof, in the living room, no doubt.That's when my dog Happy jumped up in my bedIt hadn't been Santa but mom and dad insteadThey came in our rooms and asleep we did playBut that didn't work and the Walkie-Talkies went away.Well that was it… Our plan hadn't workedSo we cried ourselves to sleep and after all of that workWe just knew that our plan would have surely been rightThat we would have finally got to see Santa in the middle of the night.Early that Christmas morning Happy's barking and growling we could hearBig brother and dad were hollering… No Happy, that's Santa in hereLittle bells were ringing as Santa dragged Happy through the houseHappy had Santa by the pants leg and was thrashing and growling about.Into the living room sis and I ran so fastCould it be we would finally see Santa Claus at last?As we entered the room our eyes got big and wideThere was candy from the Christmas tree to the door going outsideAnd in the front doorway a red pants leg did layBig brother had caught Happy and said Santa got out of here OK.Poor dad just stood there looking so sadSaid boy I can tell you Santa sure did get madBut don’t you kids worry Santa must love you a lotFor look at what he brought you and that dumb dog he did not.With all of this said, from outside we could hearBells just a ringing with holiday cheerBig sister said she heard Santa… It was all so clearHe shouted, "Jay… Lock that dog up before I get back here next year!"."Thanks for the cookies and milk…

* Photo for the Day *From Bagram Airfield, AfghanistanAirmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines came out to see the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders during a United Service Organizations tour December 23rd. The cheerleaders and other celebrities supported the troops during this USO tour. The cheerleaders danced to "The 12 days of Christmas" with a little help from the troops.Photo by Senior Airman Felicia Juenke, 455th Air Expeditionary Wing

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.Lance Cpl. Omar G. Roebuck, 23, of Moreno Valley, Calif., died December 22nd, as a result of a non-hostile incident in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.For additional background information on this Marine, news media representatives may contact the II Marine Expeditionary Force at 910-451-7200.

.U.S. Department of DefenseOffice of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Iran: On Ground UpdatesAs the White House Warns Iran to Meet Nuclear Deadline -- Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Says “Who are they to set us a deadline?”... “We set them a deadline...”Wednesday, December 23, 2009.

IRANA file photo

*VOANews.com had the following report posted up on their website Tuesday evening and it starts off like this... U.S. officials say time is running out for Iran to accept a deal designed to ease concern about its nuclear ambitions, and there are strong signs Tehran may let the end-of-year deadline slip by. The White House is warning of real consequences if Iran refuses to comply... Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has, in effect, dismissed the year-end deadline. He says the United States is in no position to set deadlines. In remarks Tuesday in the southern city of Shiraz, he said American officials must "change their attitude."...Read the full report at link below...White House Warns Iran to Meet Nuclear Deal Deadline.* Reuters.com had this report Tuesday evening... If Iran misses the deadline for agreeing to ship most of its low-enriched uranium (LEU) abroad in exchange for fuel for a Tehran research reactor, Washington has made clear it intends to pursue harsher sanctions against Iran in the United Nations... "Who are they to set us a deadline?" Ahmadinejad said in a televised speech in the southern city of Shiraz... "We set them a deadline that if they do not correct their attitude and behavior and literature we will demand from them the Iranian nation's historic rights," the hardline president told the crowd, without elaborating...Read this report in full at link below...Iran's Ahmadinejad dismisses West's year-end deadline.* TehranTimes.com has this report up on their website this Wednesday evening and it starts off like this... Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday described the Islamic Republic of Iran as the most important country in the Middle East, the most sensitive and crucial region in the world... “Today all politicians and all people who want to have a say in the world need the Iranian nation,” Ahmadinejad said, addressing a gathering of Iranian officials in the southern province of Fars...Read the rest of Ahmadinejad’s crap at link below...Ahmadinejad: Iran is most important country in Mideast.* Reuters.com brings us the following report...The U.S. President had been a disappointment to the world, Ahmadinejad said in an interview with Britain's Channel 4 News, [a full transcript can be found at the link posted on its website... along with the entire video of the interview.]... He once again dismissed a year-end deadline on a U.N.-drafted fuel deal, saying it was "meaningless." The deal requires Iran to ship most of its low-enriched uranium (LEU) abroad in exchange for fuel for a Tehran research reactor... The United States has made it clear it intends to pursue harsher sanctions against Iran in the United Nations if Iran fails to meet the deadline...Read the rest of this report at link below...Iran's Ahmadinejad mocks Obama, "TV series" nuke talks

Though only a handful of 395th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion Soldiers will make it home for the holidays this year, the Christmas spirit here still thrives..The halls have been decked with festive paper decorations, desks adorned with sparkling Christmas trees, and windows ornamented with snowmen and snowflakes. Although many in the Connecticut-based unit may be nostalgic for a white Christmas, many Soldiers are happy to be blessed with warm, temperate weather this time of year, especially the battalion's assistant operations officer, 1st Lt. Cecilio Mendez, a native of Puerto Rico, who still wishes it were warmer as he bundles up in cold-weather gear every day..Tinsel and snowflakes aside, warming the hearts of the Soldiers here are the care packages sent from all over the U.S. The packages are sometimes sent by loved ones, but are often sent by strangers, including organizations such as Operation Gratitude, the American Legion, and other schools and groups.."It's amazing to me still after seven years [in Iraq] the amount of prayer and love that is extended to us," Capt. Amy Noble, the battalion's chaplain, said of the gifts.."I'm sure everyone will gain five pounds of love this holiday season," she said, jesting at the table of cookies in the Tactical Operations Center..

And though the Soldiers won't be gathering around a twinkling tree on Christmas morning with family, the mail is abundant with holiday cards from home, noted Pfc. Phillip Makowski, an information system specialist and mail clerk.."Never lose the child-like wonder of Christmas," said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Teri Watkins, a battalion Logistics Civil Augmentation Program officer and civilian school teacher from Philadelphia.

. Taken from a news article on the MNF-Iraq website - Written by 1st Lt. Danielle Gordon, 15th Sustainment Brigade

In response to Freedom of Information Act requests, the Bureau has released its investigative files on the late entertainer Michael Jackson, who died earlier this year..The records total 333 pages, divided into seven files. They detail the FBI’s investigation of a man who threatened to kill Jackson, as well as various forms of assistance to California authorities in two cases involving allegations that Jackson had abused children. It should be emphasized that none of these allegations were ever proven in court..The files are available on the Freedom of Information Act/Privacy website, but here is a quick rundown of what they contain. The first file--9A-LA-142276--was opened by the Los Angeles FBI office when it was asked to lead a federal case against a California man already under arrest for sending numerous threatening letters. The man--who falsely claimed to be the son of mobster John Gotti--had staked out Jackson's house and threatened to kill him, the U.S. president, and others. He was ruled incompetent to stand trial and sent to prison for two years..The second and third files--62D-LA-162715 and 62D-LO-11779--involve the Bureau’s support of local law enforcement. In 1993, the Los Angeles and the Santa Barbara Police departments formed a task force to investigate an allegation that Jackson had molested a young boy. FBI field divisions in Los Angeles and New York--as well as Bureau overseas offices in Manila and London--provided assistance in that case. Investigators gathered public records on Jackson, interviewed a potential witness, and followed various other leads. The FBI assisted Los Angeles Police Department detectives who traveled to the Philippines to interview possible witnesses and shared news reports from London about a potential victim. The U.S. Attorney declined to pursue a federal investigation, including a possible violation of the Mann Act (transporting a minor across state lines for immoral purposes), and no charges were filed by the state..The fourth file--95A-HQ-1148159--concerns a 1995 request by a U.S. Customs agent in Florida that the Bureau examine a VHS videotape connected with Jackson to see if it contained child pornography. Forensic specialists discovered that the tape was a “poor quality third or fourth generation recording” and informed the Customs Service of their findings..In 2003, Jackson was charged by the state of California with molestation and other counts. The final three files--62D-LA-236081, 252B-IR-6808, and 305B-LA-239205--detail the Bureau’s support to local law enforcement during the ensuing investigation. The first of these files describes an FBI response to a Los Angeles Police Department request to analyze computers and digital media obtained from Jackson's home under court warrant. The second involves a request by the Santa Barbara County District Attorney for help and guidance from behavioral analysts in the FBI’s Critical Incident Response Group. In the last of the three files, an FBI agent from Los Angeles traveled to New York to interview a potential witness. The agent found this individual unwilling to cooperate and closed the matter. The case went to court in 2005, and Jackson was acquitted of all charges.

.Resources:- The Michael Jackson files- Freedom of Information Act/Privacy website.Taken from an FBI news article at fbi.gov................................................................I for one could care less... but I thought some of you out there just might be interested in the Jackson files, first hand. Thus the post above...AubreyJ..........

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.Sgt. Albert D. Ware, 27, of Chicago, Ill., died December 18th in Arghandab River Valley, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 782nd Combat Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.For more information the media may contact the 82nd Airborne Division public affairs office at 910-432-0661 or 910-432-0662.

. U.S. Department of DefenseOffice of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.Pfc. Serge Kropov, 21, of Hawley, Pa., died December 20th as a result of a non-hostile incident in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif. This incident is under investigation.For additional background information on this Marine, news media representatives may contact the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Public Affairs Office at 858-577-6000.

.U.S. Department of DefenseOffice of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)

About Me

My pen name is AubreyJ... I’m 60 years young and I live in Shreveport, LA. I've been married only once and that is to the same lovely lady named Amy. (It’s hard to believe that after all these years she still claims me as hers!) Have one Daughter named Michelle and two wonderful Grandsons named David, (18) and Chase, (13). I spent most of my adult life as a Manager in the Sales and Service profession. Today I am semi-retired and spend most of my time searching for news stories and Blogging on the ones that I find news worthy. I’m a... just right of the middle... Republican, who’s 1000% Pro Victory on the War on Terror. I’m a strong supporter of the Troops and my Political Party... Even though I find myself in some disagreement, yet MAJOR disappointment with where the leaders of my Party have taken us over these last so many years. Sadly -- I still cannot find very much of anything that I agree with the Dems on these days... GOD BLESS THE TROOPS... their families and this great country of ours.
AubreyJ.........